Executive function deficits associated with current and past major depressive symptoms

•Depression has been linked to impaired executive function (EF).•The precise nature of the relationship between EF and depression remains unclear.•Two studies examined types of EF difficulties related to major depressive symptoms.•Worse inhibition task performance was associated with current depression symptoms.•Past depression was linked to (behavioral and self-reported) shifting difficulties.

BackgroundAlthough there has been extensive research showing that depression is associated with executive function (EF) deficits, the nature of these deficits is not clearly delineated. Specifically, previous reviews on this topic have yielded different conclusions about the particular domains of EF that are disrupted in depressed individuals. Further, research on whether these deficits persist after depressed mood has remitted is less prevalent and not consistent.MethodsIn two independent samples of college students, we examined associations between clinical ratings of current and past symptoms of a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) and difficulties in two domains of EF: inhibition and shifting. In Study 1 (n=162), EF was measured using behavioral tasks shown to index these two domains. In Study 2 (n=95), EF was measured using a self-report questionnaire believed to capture EF difficulties experienced in daily life.ResultsIn both studies, past MDE symptoms were associated with worse shifting. In contrast, current MDE symptoms were associated with worse inhibition, though only on the behavioral measure (in Study 1).LimitationsBoth studies used college samples and retrospective assessments of past symptoms. Further, only two domains of EF were examined, and the EF measures employed in each study have their own unique methodological limitations.ConclusionsFindings suggest that inhibition deficits vary as a function of current symptoms and thus may be a by-product of distress rather than a causal contributor. In contrast, shifting deficits associated with depression appear to be more enduring, suggesting that they could contribute to risk for depression.